Number of measles cases in province rising

By: Tyler Searle Posted: 3:21 PM CDT Wednesday, May. 21, 2025

Efforts to expand vaccination eligibility have not halted the spread of measles in Manitoba, with new data showing the number of people infected with the disease has continued to rise.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.

Efforts to expand vaccination eligibility have not halted the spread of measles in Manitoba, with new data showing the number of people infected with the disease has continued to rise.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

Efforts to expand vaccination eligibility have not halted the spread of measles in Manitoba, with new data showing the number of people infected with the disease has continued to rise.

Updated figures provided by the Manitoba government show there are now 60 confirmed cases and four probable cases. Last week, there were 44 confirmed cases and four probable, the province said Wednesday.

The increase follows a decision to lower the age of vaccine eligibility for infants in high-risk areas amid the ongoing spike.

On May 14, the province announced infants at least six months old and living in the Southern Health and Interlake-Eastern health regions (or those who live elsewhere but travel regularly and have close contacts in the region) would be eligible for the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

Measles is a highly contagious disease characterized by a red, blotchy rash. It spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and the virus can remain in the air for several hours. Other symptoms include a fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes.

The disease can be life-threatening, particularly for children or adults with weakened immune systems.

According to Health Canada, measles was considered to be eliminated in Canada as of 1998, but imported infections continue to cause localized outbreaks.

Data from the national health agency shows 1,846 measles cases (1,593 confirmed, 253 probable) were reported in Canada this year, as of May 3.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca

Tyler Searle
Reporter

Tyler Searle is a multimedia producer who writes for the Free Press’s city desk. A graduate of Red River College Polytechnic’s creative communications program, he wrote for the Stonewall Teulon Tribune, Selkirk Record and Express Weekly News before joining the paper in 2022. Read more about Tyler.

Every piece of reporting Tyler produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.

Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.

Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.

Tyler Searle
Reporter